The Jim Crow Laws, segregation and discrimination

The Jim Crow Laws, segregation and discrimination.

A segregated White/Coloured water fountain.

1. Jim Crow laws were enforced in the South; this meant that Black Americans had to use different, and generally worse facilities than White Americans. This covered things ranging from shopping stores, buses and public toilets. The government funded black schools less, leaving them with worse facilities, and also made it so Black people had to pass very difficult literacy tests in order to vote - and even then they would receive threats from White people if they tried to vote.
2. Segregation was both a cultural and lawful thing in the South, and although there were no laws on segregation in the North, it still existed, it was just less obvious. Black people often lived together in small neighbourhoods, so schools would often be solely Black; they would usually live in the worst parts of towns; they would usually get a worse education than White people. But, there was definitely more opportunity in the North for Black people, in terms of education, jobs, and change - millions of Black people moved from the South to North in the 20s.
3. Discrimination even lead to violence, especially in the South. There were many racist groups that would terrorise, injure and even murder Black people. Lynching (group of people killing someone because of alleged crime) was especially common; whether victims were forcefully taken from a jail, or just to someone that hadn't even been charged. The anti-black groups would often beat and torture their victims, and then hang them on trees to die. Although people thought lynching only happened in the South, it actually did happen in the North too, it was just much easier to get away with it in the South.